Triumph Street Triple

A compact street bike that’s built like a brick house but moves like a dream. Hearts shall be won.

British bike maker Triumph’s Street Triple is one of its most important products here. It’s also among its best priced models. The Street Triple is targeted squarely at buyers who want a modern motorcycle with cutting edge technology and performance.

The Street Triple is a stylish bike, only recently updated by Triumph. It’s a compact street naked motorcycle that comes with an instantly recognisable headlight cluster. The instruments are large and well laid out, making them easy to read even when riding at high speeds. There’s a quality feel to every inch of the Street Triple, its flat handlebar providing easily mastered switches, excellent, premium-feeling palm grips and a set of hefty mirrors that provide vibe-free visibility behind you when on the trot. The Street Triple also comes with top-drawer, reach-adjustable control levers for the clutch and front brake that will fit every hand. Its fuel tank provides nice inner thigh support, behind which is a broad, lightly stepped seat. And this bike unabashedly displays its engine as a styling highlight, with minimal body panel clutter.

The Street Triple is powered by a 675cc, four-stroke, fuel-injected and liquid-cooled engine. These new breed of Triumphs are the only bikes in India today drawing upon in-line, three-cylinder technology and maximum power output is a healthy 104.5bhp, pushed out at 11,850rpm. You can’t mistake the Street Triple for any other motorcycle when riding, its novel engine configuration delivering an altogether unique acoustic signature, accompanied by a thrilling low hum and likewise, singular power delivery. The power band is broad and easy to master, the Street Triple effortlessly drawing on its ample 6.9kgm torque spread to trundle away swiftly from low speed. Throttle response is snappy enough, all six gear ratios perfectly engineered to keep the ride relaxed, never feeling frantic or overly stressed.

Clutch response is excellent, progressive and light for this big a bike, and the Street Triple gearbox, shifts with fine feel in a one-down and five-up pattern. Performance is snappy, the engine always a delight to control thanks to its refined, vibration-free crafting, as it delivers more than adequate acceleration to keep up with the fastest moving traffic on Indian roads. Given its compact profile, the Street Triple feels surprisingly accommodating for taller riders, but still low enough for the shorter height of an average Indian rider. Ride position is neither too aggressive nor out of place for a quick bike such as this. The seat feels comfortable, and everything falls in place well, the handlebar controls taking no time to get comfortable with and the rear brake pedal being placed in exactly the right position. Ride quality is a touch on the firm, sporty side helping the bike come across as sure-footed, light and agile at all times. Brakes are excellent, offering just the right intuitive feel, with strong bite and a flawlessly functioning ABS. Pirelli Corsa tyres work to impart fantastic grip, making the Street Triple a planted motorcycle to cleave through corners on, whether fast or tight.

We were left impressed after this early, brief ride astride the Street Triple. This here is a stylish and top quality motorcycle with just the right amount of performance, delivered with character-rich élan. Never overly intimidating to pilot in India, the Street Triple is poised to be a segment topping-bike, sure to win over many Indian biking votes.